The Advertising Self-Regulatory Council (ASRC) establishes the policies and procedures for advertising industry self-regulation, including the National Advertising Division (NAD), Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU), National Advertising Review Board (NARB), Electronic Retailing Self-Regulation Program (ERSP) and Online Interest-Based Advertising Accountability Program (Accountability Program.) The self-regulatory system is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus.
Self-regulation is good for consumers. The self-regulatory system monitors the marketplace, holds advertisers responsible for their claims and practices and tracks emerging issues and trends.
Self-regulation is good for advertisers. Rigorous review serves to encourage consumer trust; the self-regulatory system offers an expert, cost-efficient, meaningful alternative to litigation and provides a framework for the development of a self-regulatory to emerging issues.
In 1971, the 4As, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA), and the American Advertising Federation (AAF) formed an alliance with the CBBB to create an independent self-regulatory body – the National Advertising Review Council (NARC).
In 2008, NARC welcomed as partners the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) and Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).
ASRC Board of Directors
- Sharon Abrams
Vice-President and General Counsel
The Procter & Gamble Company - Julie Coons
President & CEO
Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) - James Edmund Datri
President & CEO
American Advertising Federation (AAF) - Nancy Hill
President & CEO
American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s) - Carrie Hurt
Interim President & CEO
Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) - Linda Woolley
Acting President & CEO
Direct Marketing Association - Robert D. Liodice
President & CEO
Association of National Advertisers (ANA) - Carla R. Michelotti
Executive V.P., Global Chief Legal Government and Corporate Affairs Officer
Leo Burnett Worldwide, Inc. - Eric Mower – NARC Board Chair
Chairman & CEO
Eric Mower and Associates - Randall Rothenberg
President & CEO
Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)
Self-Regulatory Programs
To ensure the credibility of and impartiality in the self-regulation system, the advertising review process operates under the administrative purview of the CBBB. Established to provide guidance and set standards of truth and accuracy for national advertisers, ASRC sets the policies for the:
- Children’s Advertising Review Unit
- Electronic Retailing Self-Regulation Program
- National Advertising Division
- National Advertising Review Board
- Online Interest-Based Accountability Program
User-Friendly Dispute Resolution
The advertising industry’s self-regulatory system offers a user-friendly forum for dispute resolution. Parties are welcome to contact directly the attorney handling their matter. Participants can expect a courteous and patient explanation of the process, the applicable procedures and the presentation of briefs.
You can reach any member of our staff by email. For immediate assistance, please contact Hope Bresnahan at hbresnahan (at) asrc.bbb.org.
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